DEVIL'S TRILL Daniel Jacobus, Book 1

Set against a steamy backdrop of summer in New York City, this slow-burn suspense revolves around a stolen violin, a corrupt competition, and a disgruntled ex-virtuoso. Jim Frangione embodies the grizzled music instructor turned gumshoe Jacobus with a cantankerous tone that is in direct contrast to the compliant tone and clipped accent of Yumi, his Japanese student. Jacobus and Yumi begin to plumb the unscrupulous depths of the Grimsley International Violin Competition when its featured instrument vanishes. Violin performances by the author sprinkled throughout provide clues to aid in solving the mystery, which will be appreciated by those musically inclined and provide a pleasant backdrop for those who are not. While the sniping politics of the music world hampers the intrigue at times, this is, nevertheless, a solid mystery. E.E. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2017]